Fionnuala has a younger brother with WS who inspired Fionnuala’s interest in education. She started her career in a mainstream primary school, teaching for seven years and also working part-time with a specialist needs service that provided education to, and respite for, children and adults with various special needs.

While her brother Jarlath (9 years younger than Fionnuala) attended the local special school, she took him out of school every week to take part in a Modern Languages Initiative, gaining first-hand experience of teaching a child with WS. She progressed to the Inspectorate of the Department for Education and Skills, with responsibility for special education.

Over her ten years, she met many inspiring teachers who changed children’s lives through education. Fionnuala missed teaching, so began teaching Inclusive Educational Methodologies at Mary Immaculate College (MIC).

Fionnuala has been running Junior Summer Camps for children with WS in Ireland for many years and worked with the families to research her book, WiSHES. She has continued her research and has co-produced the WSF Guideline for Educators and Own Williams Learning (OWL) books for learners with WS.